Propeller safety guard for outboard and stern drive motors

ABSTRACT

The Propeller Safety Guard is a wire mesh type enclosure covering the perimeter of the propeller as well as the rear plan of the propeller. The upper section of the guard is bolted to the underside of the outboard motor anticavitation plate. The lower section of the guard is bolted to the skeg of the outboard motor by a connection mounting bracket which has along gated holes to allow for adjust ability in order to locate the ideal position on the motor skeg for mounting the guard. This guard encloses the propeller from the two most dangerous exposures, the propeller tips rotating and the rear of the propeller. The forward section of the propeller is to some extent protected by the lower leg of the outboard motor.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] Protecting humans from the turning propeller blades has been a concern ever since the outboard motor was invented for use especially on pleasure boats. Many different designs of guards have been patented in the past. All of these designs are cumbersome guards, inhibit performance greatly, in many cases are custom designed to fit the many different configurations of outboard motors and stern drives. Therefore they are expensive to manufacture and costly to the consumer. It appears that for these reasons none of the earlier inventions ever provided the consumer with a satisfactory product. Therefore a propeller guard that provides reasonable protection, inhibits performance the least amount possible, is easily installed and affordable, would be a major improvement to prior art.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The Propeller Safety Guard of the described invention presents a new approach to avoiding propeller related injuries caused by marine type of propellers on small and medium size outboard motors and stem drives. The Guard is installed on the lower leg of outboard motors and stem drives for protection to swimmers, diver, water skiers and marine life that may come in contact with turning propellers while the motor is running.

[0003] The economical method to manufacture the described invention, the adaptability to all major outboard motor/propellers on the market today and the adjustable mounting bracket feature would be a major advantage over prior art in the field.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0004]FIG. 1, Illustrates a side view of the complete guard mounted to the lower leg of an outboard motor.

[0005]FIG. 2, is a three dimensional view of the described invention showing the Safety Guard, upper and lower mounting brackets and how the guard is fastened to the leg of an outboard motor.

[0006] No. 1. Illustrates the circular shape of the wire mesh protective guard.

[0007] No. 2. Illustrates the rear flat shape of the wire mesh protective guard

[0008] No. 3. Illustrates the 2 circular rings with No. 2 between both rings and No. 1 attached to the inner of circular ring.

[0009] No. 4. Illustrates the leading edge circular ring attached to No. 1.

[0010] No. 5. Illustrates the upper mounting plate of the guard welded to the inner circular ring No. 3, the leading edge circular ring No. 4 and the wire mesh circular shape No. 1.

[0011] No. 6. Illustrates the lower mounting slide plate welded to the inner circular ring No. 3 and leading circular ring No. 4.

[0012] No. 7. Illustrates the lower mounting bracket (2) one left side and one right side.

[0013] No. 8. Illustrates the re-enforcement plate installed below No. 6 lower mounting slide.

[0014] No. 9. Illustrates the fasteners, bolt, nut and washer to attach the lower mounting bracket to guard and skeg of motor.

[0015] No. 10. Illustrates the bolt, nut and washer to attach to the upper mounting plate No. 5 below the anti-cavitation plate of the motor.

[0016] The described invention is further articulated in the attached detailed description of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] Referring to more detail of the invention it is noted that the propeller safety guard described in the drawings is in every instance mounted to the lower leg of a conventional outboard motor or stern drive unit. More specifically the guards upper mounting plates are mounted below the anti cavitation plate of the motor and the guards lower mounting bracket is mounted to the skeg of the lower leg. Therefore the guard is enclosing the two most vulnerable exposed surfaces of the rotating propeller.

[0018]FIG. 2. The propeller safety guard described in this invention consists in general of a cage like wire mesh enclosure No. 1 and No. 2 supported structurally by two circular rings, No. 3, at the rear of the guard and one circular ring, No. 4 at the front of the guard. Said circular rings are welded to the circulator wire mesh, No. 1 and welded to the flat wire mesh, No. 2. The upper mounting plate, No. 5 is welded to the circular wire mesh, No. 1, with a 2″ wide open center section to allow proper positioning over the propeller. The upper mounting plate has a radiused cut out to allow clearance for a anode mounted in lower surface of anti cavitation plate. Additionally the upper mounting plate, No. 5 four holes to allow for mounting guard below anti cavitation plate.

[0019] No. 7 describes the two lower L-shaped mounting brackets. Each mounting bracket has on the radius portion two holes, if when mounting on the skeg of the lower leg, line up perfectly with each other. Elongated holes allow for adjustment in unison with adjustable slide plate, No. 6. The rectangular section of described lower mounting bracket, No. 7 are bent 90 degree in relation to radiused portion of each mounting bracket. The adjustable slide plate, No. 6 is welded on the lower inside of No. 3 and 4 circular rings and elongated holes allow adjust ability with L shaped mounting brackets , No. 7. The re-enforcement plate, No. 8, is located below the adjustable slide plate, No. 6. This re-enforcement plate is a rectangular plate with four holes matching the adjustable slide plate, No. 6 and the two lower mounting brackets, No. 7, locked into position with fasteners, No. 9. Bolt lock nut and flat washer No. 10, total of four each, fasten the Safety Guard to the underside of anti-cavitation plate of motor.

[0020]FIG. 1 illustrates a complete side view assembly of the described invention onto a lower leg of an outboard motor. 

What I claim is:
 1. A Propeller Safety Guard attached by means of fasteners to the underside of the anti-cavitation plate of an outboard motor or inboard—outboard drive of a boat.
 2. A wire mesh circular guard enclosing the outer perimeter of the propeller and the rear (aft) section of the propeller.
 3. An upper mounting plate permanently attached to the circular wire mesh and rear wire mesh and mounting plate to have an open center section forward and closed section rearward and each side of open center section to have a half moon shaped cutout with holes located in each corner to allow mounting to underside of anti-cavitation plate.
 4. A permanently attached elongated sliding plate at the lower section of the guard allowing for forward-aft adjustment of the lower mounting brackets.
 5. Two symmetrical mounting brackets of which one is attached to the left side of the skeg and the other one to the right side of the skeg by means of fasteners and the 90 degree bend bottom ends of the brackets are fastened via elongated holes through the elongated sliding plate and below it through a re-enforced plate. 